United States of Wine

Oregon

Cloudline – Pinot Noir – Willamette Valley – 2022

Purchased: Sandy’s Spirits, Elkridge, MD

Price: $24.99

Opening this bottle of 2022 Cloudline Pinot Noir, I was met with an immediate scent of fruity wine. Such a lovely smell came from this bottle that I got really excited. The wine was a beautiful light rust color when it first entered the glass.

One thing I did notice was how long I had to wait for this wine to breathe. The first quick taste had notes of sourness that I hoped would go away soon. After 20 minutes sitting in my glass, there was still a lingering tartness that almost felt like it was too much to take.

After 10 more minutes, the tartness showed a delicate hint of sweetness that I associate with cranberries, one of my favorite holiday side dishes (gelatinized in a can, please). Other fruitful flavors played in with the cranberry essence, making the wine very palatable.

Taking a deep breath, the wine smelled like strawberries and mushrooms, a pleasant fruity earthiness. Unfortunately, I’m allergic to both strawberries and mushrooms, but they were both good to smell.

What really blew away our experience with this wine was our dinner of pizza with a spicy sauce. The flavor of the wine changed dramatically, bringing out more of a berry taste. The wine felt less complex and almost refreshing when paired with a spicy pizza sauce.

I would definitely have this time again, especially with a spicy pasta meal.

Score: 8.9/10